1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to hand-held defense weapons such as are commonly associated with the Martial Arts and more particularly relates to a combination hand-held defense weapon and hand-held tool wherein a plurality of shafts are pivotally connected so that they can be moved between any selected fingers of the user's hand and automatically compensate for differences in hand size, the individual shafts providing a plurality of selected tool tips such as screwdrivers which are manipulated by torque developed through one or more of the adjacent shafts.
2. General Background
Various types of defense have been developed over the years which are referred to generally as Martial Arts. These defense forms include, for example, Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, and the like. Some of these methods of defense include the use of a hand-held defense weapon which can be used to ward off an attacker who might be equipped with a knife, for example.
Hand-held tools have, in any given number of instances, been used as weapons. Many devices have been patented which have functioned as either a hand-held defense weapon or a tool and possibly a combination of the two.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,019 issued to C. S. Weber in 1952 is entitled "Multiple Bit Tool." This invention relates to a multiple bit tool, and more particularly to a tool in the nature of a screw driver which has three interchangeable tool elements having a bit at one end, any one of which tool elements can be brought into operative position while the remaining two are arranged in the handle or magazine portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,821,724 entitled "Slidably Housed Multi-Bladed Tool with Release Selection" issued in 1958 to R. L. Wurgaft. This invention relates to multiple-bladed hand tools in which any one of several blades may be selectively projected to an operating position, the others remaining so covered by the handle of the tool that they do not interfere with its operation.
A "Multipurpose Tool for Use with Golfers" is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,508 which issued to C. L. Garrett in 1968. This multipurpose pocket-size tool serves the needs of a golfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,533 issued to Samuel J. Brunette in 1973 discloses a multi-purpose tool which in a preferred embodiment is a flattened member having upper and lower flattened edges of predetermined width, with the lower edge having a groove extending along the edge receivable of a wing nut and of the shaft on which a wing nut would be mounted, and defining a through-space between opposite flattened faces of the tool with one face defining a circular shape around said through-space and having a diameter slightly less than that of a predetermined valve-face of a water-outlet valve of an aircraft gasoline tank such that upward pressure opens the valve whereby water in the bottom of the gas tank is drainable through the through-space of the tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,063 issued to Michael Wong discloses a "Multi-Purpose Protection Device" with a point on one end of a shaft and a butt on the other end, two opposite facing bent prongs connected to the middle of the shaft, and a deflector knob located near the bend of each prong on the outside surface of the prong. The weapon is used in a close quarter situation. It may be held in a night stick position or in a pistol grip position. It can be readily changed from one position to the other--point to butt or pistol grip to night stick, or vice versa.
A "Multiple Bladed Retractable Claw Weapon" issued to Alfred B. Levine in 1978 is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,629. A pocket-sized claw-like multibladed weapon adapted to be held in the closed fist with the blades being spaced apart and projecting outwardly between adjoining fingers; likened to animal claws or talons of birds or prey.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,637 issued to Fred J. Grieser, Sr. in 1978 discloses a combination tool comprising a chuck key provided with at least one opening formed in the shaft thereof to receive therein a tool usually employed prior to the formation or following the formation of a hole in a structure. The chuck key is adapted to engage with the external teeth formed on one end of a chuck to either tighten or loosen the chuck on the tool such as a drill bit or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,913 entitled "Multipurpose Tube Wrench" which issued to Lawrence J. Lewis in 1978 discloses an elongated cylindrical handle comprising an diametrical bore formed therethrough intermediate the ends thereof. A shower arm wrench body of hollow cylindrical configuration has an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the handle and an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the handle and is internally threaded and extends coaxially with a first end of the handle.